Freed from the "Labans"

From Our Pastor's Desk

Guess what? Sooner or later, one will meet a “Laban” in life. If you haven’t, you will. Who are they? Back in the book of Genesis we read about the time when Jacob (who later became “Israel”) ran away from home. 

He’d lied to his brother and his life was in danger. So he traveled to his uncle’s house to find shelter there. His uncle Laban greeted him with a kiss. 

But it wasn’t a kiss of affection or love for a relative. It was the kiss of a man who knew he’d found a patsy. Laban saw in Jacob someone he could take advantage of… so he did. 

The Bible warns us about such people. In Proverbs 26:24-26, we’re told: “A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. 

Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” 

So many men/women could be very helpful but some could equally be very destructive. It is for this cause the Bible severally warns us on how we should deal with men. Not all men are bad/wicked but beware, do not put your confidence. 

Jesus said in Matthew 10:16-17 - “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men…”  People, no matter how trustworthy they are now, will faint, get tired, and fail you. 

People break promises, betray you and they look for ways to break covenants. Micah 7:5-6: “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.” 

The prophet then resolved, “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation…” God has given us the way out. 

He has freed us from the “Labans” of this world. Let’s put our trust totally in God. As we trust in the LORD, we shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom. 

Thou Art Loosed

From Our Pastor's Desk

2nd Samuel 9:10-13 – “Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread al-way at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants...As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons…And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet”. 

This is a very wonderful and interesting story from the Bible and it shows that it is not over until it is over.   

The name, Mephibosheth, means "he who scatters shame” He was also called Meribbaal in 1st Chron. 8:34, which means contender with Baal. But, he was, instead, a carrier and bearer of shame, a victim and casualty of Baal. What a life contrary to his name he lived, until Mercy and Grace knocked on his door. 

God can use anybody, when the set time has come. Imagine the life of that crippled boy at Lodebar, without any hope. But God used king David to change all that. He gave him lands, and servants to work the land, and a place of honor at the king's table.  

It does not matter how long you have spent in captivity, the important thing is that Jesus will intervene in your situation. Your story will turn to glory.  Divine help and intervention is already on the way for you, now. 

The story of your life will be rewritten for good, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

Joy to the World - IMPACT YASM Sunday

By Sis. AnuOluwa Oyetoran 

I saw a TED talk a couple of days ago that had a lot of views, it was titled “where joy hides and how to find it”. 

Everyone is constantly looking for joy but only few seem to find it. So then, what is this joy that seems so difficult to find? Is it a feeling? A choice? A destination? 

Is it waiting in our next career move? Our next accomplishment? Our next relationship? Or is it to be developed? Is there a secret to joy?  

One thing that is certain is, God wants us, His children, to have Joy – John 15:11 says “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete”. 

He wants us to have abundant and complete joy.  So then, the joy God wants us to have must be different from the fleeting emotions that come from the material things we possess. 

Therefore, I put forth to us that joy is a supernatural delight in the soul produced by the Holy Spirit as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and the world. 

The joy God wants us to have is rooted in eternal things that cannot change and it can only be found in Christ Jesus. Psalm 16:11 says in God’s presence there is fullness of joy. 

May we truly experience the fullness of joy, as we come to His presence, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020.  

Remain blessed.   

Shalom.

I Can; But I Won't Do All Things

From Our Pastor's Desk

Probably one of the most well-known and most quoted Bible scriptures - Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But I ask myself, can I, really? Can I do all things? 

I concluded eventually that even though I can, but I won’t do ALL things. I observed that, here Paul said he could do all things that Christ strengthened him to do. 

ONLY the things that Christ enables us to do can we do. Christ cannot & would not strengthen us to sin, be disobedient, transgress etc. 

Christ will only strengthen us to do His will. But we are free, with our free will, to do whatever we want. Freedom is a wonderful gift given to us by God. 

We get to choose to believe in Him, follow Him, and be in a loving relationship with Him. God didn’t create us as puppets or robots, He created us to have a mind, a heart, and a will.  Through His death on the cross Jesus has set us free from death, sin and consequences of sin.  

Freedom from so many things which we experience here and now in our day-to-day lives. Freedom to not commit sin. To not do something that we know goes against God’s will and His precepts. 

Even though we are free, but we are not free to sin. Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:23 – “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not 

We need to keep off sin to keep off satan! We should keep off sin, to be indeed& truly FREE from satan. 

This is true freedom! Freedom from satan. Freedom from being harassed by satan.  May we truly receive strength from Christ to DO ALL THINGS holy, true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, of good report and praiseworthy, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.  

You will have a great turn-around this 2020. 

Remain blessed.  Shalom. 

December 2020 - Our Month of Freedom At Last

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Freedom At Last, in Jesus name. 2nd Cor. 3:17 - “...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” Gal. 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

Liberty (freedom) is "the state of being exempt from the domination of others or from restricting circumstances like prison, slavery" To be enslaved, imprisoned, “shackled”, or limited by anyone or anything is the most frightful, horrible, terrible and frustrating situation to be in. 

Imagine what Joseph felt when freed by Pharaoh in Gen. 41:14.  There are different prisons/bondage – financial, spiritual, physical, marital, emotional, habits, sins etc. 

Many often wondered if they would ever walk out of that bondage free. But Christ has set us free. John 8:36.. 

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to December, Our Month of Freedom At Last. This very last month of the year 2020, we gain our total freedom from the spirit of barrenness, limitation, unwanted detention, bondage, restraint & imprisonment. 

We receive freedom to go out, and to come in. Freedom to marry, freedom to bear children, freedom to worship & serve God as we want. 

No more working like elephants & eating like ants. There shall be a rain of wealth & prosperity, fruitfulness & multiplication, joy & peace, in every area of our lives, in Jesus Name. Amen.